Split clearing mechanism



Oct. 20, 1953 F. A. NIEMANN SPLIT CLEARING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 30, 1947 v p. a 000 INVHVTOR. Ffedefz c'k A. NI eIILaIZIL %%,flmw7l I IIL v 225 3 224 Giiy' Ogt. 20, 1953 F. A. NIEMANN 2,656,110

SPLIT CLEARING MECHANISM v F. A. NlEMANN SPLIT CLEARING MECHANISM Oct. 20, 1953 Filed April 30, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 &

Oct.- 20, 1953 F. A. NIEMANN 2,656,110

SPLIT CLEARING MECHANISM Filed April 50, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 w N a 8 5 Ill 1H5,

IN V EN TOR.

Bede rick A. MmaIz/z M" j fim 6M Giiys Oct. 20, 1953 F. A. NIEMANN SPLIT CLEARING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 50, 1947 mm kw NNN n I n 1 I n w 4 m h m u, "h u I u.

IN VEN TOR.

m s m m. w a M 1m 1 M 8m 3w .QN NNN Oct. 20, 1953 F. A. NIEMANN SPLIT CLEARING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed April 50, 1947 Patented Oct. 20, 1953 SPLIT CLEARING MECHANISM Frederick A. Niemann, Chicago, 111., assignor to Felt -& Tarrant Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application April 30, 1947, SerialNo. 744,984

8 Claims.

This invention relates .in general to calculating machines, and more particularly to the register or accumulator mechanism'employed therein.

A principal object of the invention is to render a multidenominational accumulator capable of retaining values .entered in some of the denominational orders thereof while permitting others of its denominational orders to be zeroized or cleared of values that have been entered therein.

With this type of calculating machine having only a single accumulator, such as those keyoperated machines illustrated in United States Letters Patent No. 762,520, issued June 14, 1904, No. 1,357,748, dated November 2, 1920, or No. 2,346,601, issued Aprilll, 1944, or the key-responsive machines disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,063,962, and No. 2,402,569, issued December 15, 19 36, and June 25, 1946, respectively, inventory computations and many other similar operation are performed as a series of separate steps, in each of which a sub-total is obtained; and in order to get thetotal of such subtotals, each of the latter must be written down and the accumulator cleared before the next succeeding one is computed, and these several subtotals thereafter again must be entered in the machine from such written notations. To facilitate the performance of such calculations, this type of machine has been provided with an auxiliary or secondary accumulator to which subtotals may be transferred from the primary accumulator, as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,130,364 issued September 20, 1938, but considerable additional expense is entailed in this solution of the problem presented by such calculations.

The present invention offers a simplified solution of the problem of eliminating the necessity of making written notations of sub-totals in a machine having only one accumulator by enabling the entry of a sub-total, which has been obtained in one portion of the accumulator. into another portion of the same accumulator, and retaining the values in the latter portion during a clearing or zeroizing of the former portion of the accumulator.

Another important object of the invention, therefore, is the provision of inexpensive means which may be incorporated readily in any calculating machine having only a single accumulator sorasito convert thelatter, in efiect, into .a primary accumulator and a secondary accumulator.

.A further important objectof the invention is to provide a calculating machine having an accumulator withta .pluralityofinumeral wheels and means for clearing or .zeroizing the same, with normally'ineffective imeansv selectively operable to prevent'clearing of some of the numeral wheels during vzeroizing of the accumulator.

Another-object of the invention is the provision of novel indicating means, associated with the keyboard of a calculating machine incorporating such selectively operable means, vfor indicating which of .thenumeral wheels of the several .denominational orders of theaccumulator will not be cleared in a zeroizing operation when the selectively operable means have been rendered effective.

A further object of the invention is to so construct such normally ineffective, selectively settablemeans as automatically to effect zeroizing of those numeral wheels prevented from being cleared during anormal zeroizing operation, upon subsequent selective setting of said means back to normal inefiective position.

Anotherobject of the invention is the provision of two selectively operable control members which, by'virtue of their sequence or manner of operation, efiect zeroizing of all the numeral wheels, only a firstgroup of such numeral wheels, or such first group and then the remaining ones of the numeral wheels of an accumulator.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings,

Fig.1 is a top .plan view of a calculating ma chine embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan viewof the accumulator dividing indicating member which is adapted to be mounted on the keyboard in the manner illustrated .in Fig. '1;

.Fig. 3is an enlarged front elevation-of the machine ofFig. .1 with the casing removed;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the accumulator zeroizing preventing control shaft shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. is a side elevational view of the machine, as seen from the right side of Fig. 1, with parts of the casing broken away;

Fig. 6 is a detail side elevation of the accumulator swinging frame as seen from the left side of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical section through the forward part of the machine, as viewed from the left side of Fig. 1, showing the accumulator and part of the zeroizing mechanism in normal position;

Fig. 8 is a detail vertical section looking forwardly of the machine and taken substantially on the line 88 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the forward part of the machine, with the casing in section, similar to Fig. 5 and showing the accumulator zeroizing control key in effective position;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the swinging frame of the accumulator moved for- M wardly in zeroizing;

Fig. 11 is a detail side elevation, as seen from the left side of Fig. l and with parts in section, showing the mechanism for returning the swinging frame of the accumulator rearwardly to norinal position in response to digit key actuation; and

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 showing the position of the parts assumed after zeroizing of the accumulator when the latter is in its detrained position of Fig. 10.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the instant embodiment of the invention is shown for purposes of illustration as being incorporated in a calculating machine of the multiple order key-driven type disclosed more specifically in my prior Patent No. 2,346,601 and in Patent No. 1,357,7 i8 hereinbeiore referred to. As the details of construction of this type of machine readily may be understood from these patents, a brief description of the general features thereof, and more specific explanation of such parts as are directly concerned with the operation of the present improvements, are thought to be sufiicient for a complete understanding of this invention.

As disclosed in the last mentioned patents, the various instrumentalities of the calculating machine are supported by a frame mounted on a base ii of a suitable casing and consisting essentially of side skeleton plates 22 and intermediate skeleton plates 23 disposed between the various mechanisms of the several denominational orders of the machine and tied together at suitable points by transverse tie-rods 24. For convenience, the same reference characters will be employed hereinafter as are used in the last two patents above referred to for designating similar parts of the machine.

A number of columns of nine keys each are provided, herein illustrated as twelve, each digit key of which is indicated by reference numeral 25, and an accumulator mechanism is mounted at the forward end of the casing which includes numeral wheels operable directly in response to actuation of the keys in each of the several columns. The keys 25 are adapted to actuate the numeral whee in the associated denominational order through the agency of their stems 2'! cooperating with a column actuator 26 (Fig. 5) in the form of a segment lever pivoted at the rear of the machine. It will be understood that there is a column actuator 26 provided in each denominational order for operation by the nine digit keys of that order. At the forward oscillatable end, each column actuator 25 is provided with a rack 28 which meshes at all times with an accumulator pinion 29 mounted for rotation on a transverse shaft as extending across the machine and suitably journaled in the skeleton frame plates. The pinion of each denominational order forms a part of an internal rachet mechanism (not shown) for drivingly connecting the rack 28 with a transmitting or actuating gear 3| during an up-stroke of the column actuator 25, the down-stroke of the column actuator being idle so far as the accumulator mechanism is concerned. Such rotation of the transmitting pinion 3!, resulting from upward movement of the associated column actuator 2e, transmitted, through a numeral wheel driving gear train including a carrying gear 32 (Fig. 7) rotatable on a transverse shaft 33 and adapted to mesh with the transmitting gear 3|, an intermediate gear 34 rotatable on a transverse shaft 35 and in mesh with the carrying gear 32, and a numeral wheel gear 36 rotatable on a transverse shaft 3'! and in mesh with the intermediate gear as, to a nmneral wheel 38 fixed to the gear 3G for rotation therewith on the shaft 37. The shafts 30, 35 and 37 are suitably supported by the skeleton frame plates in fixed relationship with one another, and the shaft 33 is carried in a swinging frame comprising transversely spaced partition plates G l (Fig. 6) connected together by suitable tie-rods B5. The swinging frame carrying the shaft 33 is mounted for limited pivotal movement on the shaft 35 to permit movement of the carrying gears 32 from their normal meshrelationship with the respective transmitting or actuating gears 3i, as shown in Fig. 7, to the detrained position illustrated in Figs. 6 and 10, in zeroizing or clearing the numeral wheels of the accumulator.

As noted hereinbefore, downward movement of any column actuator, through the agency of the rachet between the accumulator gear 29 and the transmitting gear 3i, results in no motion being transmitted through the associated gear train to the numeral wheel 38. The extent of such downward movement will be determined by the particular digit key 25 depressed, the 1 key being spaced a sufficiently greater distance from the pivot of the column actuator 23 than the 9 key so that actuator of the 1 key will depress the column actuator only one-ninth as far as will depression of the 9 key. The remaining digit keys 25 therebetween in each column will similarly proportionately effect depression of the associated column actuator in amounts corresponding to their digital values. Upon release of any digit key El?) following complete depression thereof, the column actuator 25 moved downwardly thereby will be returned upwardly to its normal position by spring associated therewith (Fig. 5) to effect rotation of the numeral wheel 33 in that denominational order an amount corresponding to the digital value of the key 25 employed to depress the column actuator.

As illustrated in detail in Patent No. 1,257,743 previously cited, zeroizing of the numeral wheels 38 of this accumulator is accompli hed in the present machine by forward swinging of the accumulator frame comprising the partition plates 6 3 and tie-rods E5 to detrain the carrying gears 32 from the transmitting gears 3!. In other words, the swinging frame of the accumulater is moved from its position of Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 16. This is accomplished through the agency of a zeroizing lever 7!, shown in Fig. 5 is pivoted at its lower end on a transverse shaft l0 journaled in the right hand side plate 22 of the machine frame. A segment 12 is the inner end of the Shaft to and Q inn: I! IS piv'dtally connected at its :rearend the segment 12 and 2117 its forward end tb a Hependlhg level 14 that is pivoted at 15611 the frame. The lower end of the lever H is fivdtally connected by means of a short link "16 with an arm {H rotat ably mounted upon a transverse shaft 1-8 that is J'durnaled in the skeleton fra'ine The arm 17 is provide with a transversely extendin'g e'ngaging' race 'lfl'adapted to eontact a seco'nd arm an secured to the shaft -18. When "these parts are in their normal positions of 5, a short swinging movement of the ze'roiz'ing lev'er 'H forwardly (t the "left therein) through the segment 72, link "13, lever arm 13, *short link "1%, arm n and rocker arm 8'0 will impart a rocking movement to the Shaft 18 forwardly, '0'! "in a counterclockwise dileetibh as viewed iii this figum Additional rocker arms al (Figs. 7 and 1'0) are fixed in space relationship to each other on the transversesh'aft -18 forro'tation therewith. These rocker arm's 8| are pivot'l'y connected with curved links 82 having slotted "shifting pivots upon a transverse shaft -83 The forward end of "each of the curved links 82 is provided with a pin 84 positioned between the spaced jaws 85 of an inner member '86 of a toggle. Each toggle memberfBG is pivoted on a transverse shaft 81 carriedbythe swinging frame plates tlef the 'accumul'ater, the outer end of each {toggle 'member a's is pivo tl y connected with the other or outer member "88 of the toggle. The several toggle members 8B are pivoted on studs '89 mounted on thefi xed'skeletcn frame members, and-are provided with -depe'ndin'g arm's having stop projections '91 adapted to engage the toggle members 86 to limit their movement upon forward rocking of the shaft "1 8 "from its position of Fig. 7 to that of 1 0 (clockwise in these figures).

When the swingingj'frame of the accumulator is in such position thatthe gears 32 are inmesh with the gears 3 l i. e., the norma-l'po'sition of the parts during operation of the machine, "the links 82 and toggles 86-48 occupy "the position illustrated in Figs. 7 and 11. Upon operatien of the zeroizing lever H to effect cancelling, i. e., toward the left as view in Fig. 5,'-thje link and lever cennection previously described imparts 'rotation to the shaft 18 to move the curved links j'82 from their position of 7 "to that'of Fig. 10. in so moving, the pins 84 'p'u'sh down on the "lower jaws of the toggle members 86, thereby throwing the toggles 8688 past'their dead centers to theposition illustrated in Figs. and12. the toggle members 86 are pivoted at 8-1 to the respective plates 64 of the swinging frame, such movement of the toggles past their dead centers is accompanied by a forward or outward swinging of the accumulator frame with a resultantdetraining of the winding gears 32 fromthe'gears 3i.

Detraining the carrying -gears 32-from the'g'e'a'rs 3| leaves the'carrying springs (not shown) free to unwind, those associated with any' of the numeral wheels which have been actuated having been wound up in the manner described in said Patent No. 1,357,748, and such 'unwindin'g'occurs until the numeral whe'els'arrive at "zero position. This unwinding action of the "respective carrying springs is terminated by suitable stops (not shown) which areprojected into operative position by the toggles '86-'88. These'fstops-arenormally in inoperative position, -'a'n'd iipon being moved to operative "position by the' tog'gles, ileun the path of either one or the other of two 'fl xed stops 9! (Fig. 10) appro riately located on the face of each winding gear 3-2. As soon :as one of the stops 9! comes into contact with such stop members, the unwinding action of the carrying springs is terminated and the numeral wheels are held in zero osition.

The swinging ii Sine of the -accumuiator is retained in its outward and fo'rward position, after a aeroizin'g eparation thus has been effected, and the gears 32 are maintained in disengagement with respect to the gears 31 until the subsequent operation -of any one of the digit keys 25-. The swinging frame is restored to position for entraining the Winding gears 32 with the gears 81 upcn the next'actuatien 0f akey 25 after afieremmg e eration has been airected by means 01 the mechanism best shown in Figs. 5, "11 and 12. Fixed on the shaft 18 is an upstanding arm M5, and-pivotedon the upperend of this am is a l i'nk WHO which is atta'ched aspring I 01 that extends to, and connected with, the fixed frame or the machine. 'A toggle member N19 has a slotted pivot-at one end-on the arm )5, and the other end thereof is pivotallly connected with a second toggle member H0. The toggle member 410 in turn is pi-voted'on "a transverse shaft ll-l supported "by the fixed frame of the machine. A spring H4 connects the toggle member 1-10 with the "fixed frame, the spring H4 normally fleeing under tension and the spring 1 0 1 rel'axed. The parts occupy the position illustrated in Fig. 1-1 when the swinging frame -of the accumulator is in its normal position withthe gears 31 and 32 in mesh. On mOVem'entof the shaft 1-8 by the zeroiz'in'g lever 7|, the arm HIS draws the opposite member's I09 and H0 of this detraini-ng toggle into the po'sition sho'wn'i-n Fig. 12, th'e'intermediate pivot point of the toggle fleeing shifted past dead center. This movement of the toggle is assisted by the power stored up in the spring 1 l4.

Concurrently with such movement, however, the spring 101 placed under tension, and is so held by the movement of the intermediate pivo't of the toggle past dead center.

Formed on the toggle member 1 1'0 is an upstanding arm H5 adapted to be projected, on movement "of the togg-l'e into the gear-detraineil position shown in Fig. 12, into the path of a pin ll-ec'arried by theupperende'fanarm I l 'l that is fast on the transverse shaft H I. Pivo'ted to the upperendef arm H1 -is a'link l lBwhich extends rearwardly of the machine (to the left in Figs. 11 and 1 2 and has its rear end pivoted on a transverse shifting bar 18 that-issup'ported by vertical arms 2 0 upstanding from, and connected to, a transverse rock bar 121 journaled in suitable bearings on theop'posite sides of the fixed skeleton frame members.

Pivoted on a transverse shaft [22 (Fig. 5) supported by the fixed frame of the machine, are resistance levers 123 respectively corresponding with theseveral columns or orders 'ofthe'machin'e and having their lower ends extended into the path of movement of the shifting'bar H9. The upper ends of these 'levers I23 are attached to springs [-24 extending toa fixed part of the frame andadapted normally to draw the upper ends of saidzlevers [-23 rearwardly (to the right in Fig. 5 and to the left in Fig. 11) and thus to maintain theirl'ower en'ds'out of engagement with theshifting bar I I9. Each resistance lever 1-23 is provided adjacent its lower end with a -forwardly and downwardl-y inclined camedge I25 adapted-to be engaged by a dolly roll I26 supported by the corresponding column actuator 26.

On movement of the toggle I09--IIO to the position illustrated in Fig, 12, by the operation of the zeroizing lever hereinbefore described, the engagement of arm H with pin IIG of arm III imparts a slight forward movement to the arm I I! (to the right in Fig. 12) and in so doing shif ts the link II8 forwardly. Such forward movement of link H8 draws the shifting bar H9 forwardly into a position that is just to the rear of the depending portions of the several resistance levers I23. Such are the positions of the several parts upon the completion of a zeroizing movement of the cancelling lever II, and all of the parts remain in these positions until the subsequent actuation of any digit key 25 and the consequent depression of its companion column actuator 28.

The depression of a column actuator 26 causes its dolly roll I26 to ride down the inclined cam edge of the cooperating lever I23, and in so doing effects a rearward movement of the roll and of said lever I23 (to the left in Fig. 12). This rearward movement of the lever I23 engages the lever with the shifting bar I I9 and, in so doing, shifts the bar H9 rearwardly to impart a slight rearward movement to the link I :8. Rearward shifting of link H8 causes arm II! to move rearwardly, and the consequent rearward movement of pin IIB imparts a rearward movement to the upstanding arm II5 of the toggle member III), and in so doing, the intermediate pivot of the toggle IIl9I I9 is shifted rearwardly past dead center. As soon as the intermediate pivot of the toggle Its-4 It thus moves past dead center, the spring Iill is released and the power stored therein completes the movement of the toggle back into the normal position illustrated in Fig. 11. Through the consequent rearward rocking movement imparted to the shaft I8 by the arm I95, the toggle 8B88 is restored to its normal position of Fig. '7, swinging the accumulator frame inwardly to again entrain the gears 3I and The above described movement of the toggle 8E38 and shaft l2 restores the arm 80 into position for being engaged by the arm ll, upon the next cancelling movement of the zeroizing lever I I.

Means are provided for preventing misoperation of the machine by partial depression of a digit key 25 (which locks the associated column actuator 25 in partially depressed position, such as shown in Fig. 5, in well-known manner in this type of machine) and subsequent operation of the zeroizing lever 1!. This means, which is described in detail in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,902,597, issued March 21, 1933, is illustrated in 5, and includes a link I5I pivoted at its rear end on the shifting bar I I9 and having at its forward end a slot I52 which is arranged to slide back and forth as rock bar l2l is rocked back and forth, when a column actuator 26 is depressed and then rises to normal position, on a stud I53 fixed in a latch iSII pivoted on a tie-rod I55. A spring 356 is arranged to connect the link HI and the perpendicular arm of the latch I55. together to normally keep the stud IE3 at the rear end of the slot I52. Whenever the rock bar 522i is rocked rearwardly by a depressed segment lever 26 and its associated resistance lever i23, the latch ifi l will be raised to its position of Fig. 5. The latch I54 constitutes a zeroizing mechanism lock and is provided with a bent lip it? above which is arranged. a latch arm I58 depending from, and forming a part of, the zeroizing segment I2. The result of such arrangement is that in the event an operator makes a partial key stroke and leaves the segment lever 26 depressed, the resistance lever I23, through its contact with the rod I I9 of the rock bar I2I, will cause the latter to rock rearwardly and hold it in the position of Fig. 5, until the segment lever 26 rises to its normal upper position following a corrective actuation of the partially depressed digit key. This rearward rocking of bar I2I will cause the raising of the latch I54 to bring the lip I5I into contact with the latch arm I58. Thus, if the operator should zeroize the machine while a segment lever lock is so set with the segment lever 26 depressed, the latch arm I58, in swinging rearwardly, will depress the lip I51 causing the stud to move in the slot I52, and the spring I56 to give way, until the latch arm I58 has passed the lip I51, when the spring 156 will cause the latch I5! to engage the arm I58 to prevent the return of the zeroizing lever and the return of the shaft I8 by spring IO'I. The toggle IDS-I It) thus is held, through action of I2l, II9, I5I, I54, I58, I3, 14, I6, 11, I9, 30, I8, I05, and H6, against spring III? in toggle forming position for spring H4 to throw it past dead center, The toggle IDS-I I6 is maintained in this position and the accumulator swinging frame is held detrained until the segment lever or actuator 25 has returned to its normal position, at which time the roll I25 will allow the lever I23 to return to normal position and the rock bar I2I to swing forward and thus allow links I5! and H8, which are operated simultaneously by I2I, to move forward. When link H8 thus moves forward, it releases the detaining toggle I99! #0 and, since this toggle is being held in toggle forming position by means of the above-described mechanism including I2I, lei, i54, I53, i8, and I05, the spring II4 throws the toggle past its dead center into the position shown in Fig. 12 to lock the swinging accumulator frame and the shaft 58 against the normal return gear-entraining movement under spring It? before the latch I54 can restore to normal upon the disengagement of lip I5'I from the arm I58 by the same movement of I2I that releases toggle EQHS from arm H8. The detraining toggle IilQ-I I0 continues in its made-up position of Fig. 12 and holds gears ill and 32 out of registering engagement with each other as shown in Fig. 10 until another calculating operation is begun, at which time, as soon as any digit key 25 is depressed, its column actuator causes roll I25 to move the lever I23 rearwardly which engages and moves rod II9 rearwardly to rock bar I2I. The rocking of bar I2I pulls the arm H8 rearwardly which breaks the detaining toggle HIE-4 ID from its position of Fig. 12 to its position of Fig. 11, which permits the swinging accumulator frame to return to the position shown in Fig. '7, and thereby effects entrainment of the gears 3| and 32 of the accumulator before the depressed column actuator starts rising to actuate the accumulator mechanism.

The instant invention comprises the addition to a calculating machine, such as that abovedescribed, of means selectively operable to effect clearing of only some of the numeral wheels 38 upon operation of the zeroizing lever II, so that any values contained in the remainder of the accumulator will be retained therein. This means includes a zeroizing control key 20I (Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 9) located in the lower right-hand portion of the machine, extending downwardly through a suitable slot in the casing, and pivotally connected at its lower end to the rear end of a walking beam or lever 202. The lever 202 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the transverse shaft 83. The lower end of the control key forwardly of its pivotal connection with the lever 202, is connected to the lower end of a spring 203, the upper end of which is connected to a stud or pin 204 mounted on and extending outwardly from the right-hand side skeleton plate 22, as best seen in Fig. 3. The outer end of the stud 204 normally engages a lip or shelf 205 provided on the rear edge of the stem of the control key 20L as shown in Fig, 5, to limit upward movement of the control key in response to the action of the spring 203. The slot in the upper surface of the machine casing through which the control key 20| extends insures engagement of the shelf 295 with the stud 204 by limiting forward movement of the upper portion of the control key. Above the shelf 205, the control key 20| is also provided on its rear edge with an opposed lip or shelf 205 and an undercut recess 201. When moved downwardly from. its position of Fig. 5, the control key 20| is limited in such downward movement by engagement of the shelf 206 with the stud 204, and the control key may be latched in such lower or operative position by rearward movement to cause engagement of the stud 204 in the recess 201, as shown in Fig. 9. Release of the control key 20| after movement to this operative position will result in the key being retained therein by the spring 203 maintaining the undercut portion of the recess 20! in engagement with the stud 204. To release the control key 20| from such lower or operative position, it is necessary only for an operator to depress the key slightly and move the upper end thereof forwardly to permit the spring 203 to return it to the upper or inoperative position of Fig. 5.

The forward end of the lever 202 is slotted for pivotal engagement with the reduced portion of a pin 208 mounted in any suitable manner in the rear end of a crank arm 209. The crank arm 209 is provided with a rectangular recess at its forward end through which a milled or fiatted end portion of a transverse control shaft 2| extends. The crank arm 209 is thus secured to the shaft 2| I, as best shown in Fig. 4. The shaft 2|| extends across the front of the machine, as illus trated in Fig. 3, and is journaled in suitable apertures in the upper ends of the vertical arms of spaced levers or brackets 2|2. Three of these brackets 2|2 preferably are provided, each being i in the form of an angle lever mounted at its central portion on the tie-rod 24 disposed at the lower front end of the machine, and held against rotation thereon by engagement of the rearwardly extending arm thereof with the transverse shaft 83. The brackets 2 l2 are held against adjacently disposed skeleton frame plates of the machine by suitable spacers mounted on the tierod 24 to prevent displacement thereof longitudinally of the shaft 2| At each side of the rightmost supporting bracket 2 2, the control shaft 2| l is provided with annular grooves 2|3 (Fig. 4) within which suitable spring washers or clips 2 M (Fig. 3) may be mounted, after the shaft 2|| has been assembled in the machine, to prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft.

A plurality of detent levers, indicated generally by reference numeral 2l5, are mounted at the forward end of the machine in those denominational orders in which it is desired to prevent 10 zeroizing of the numeral wheels of the accumulator in response to operation of the zeroizing lever 1| In the present embodiment of the invention, which is incorporated in a twelve column machine, these detent levers 2 5 are illustrated (Fig. 3) as being associated with each of the six highest denominational orders. Each of the levers 2 5 is provided at its lower end with a pair of rearwardly extending slotted arms 2|6 (Fig. 8) bent from and formed integrally with the main body portion thereof. As shown in Fig. 8, each of these arms 2|6 engages and embraces a reduced end portion 2|1 of a spacer collar 2| 8 mounted on the forward lowermost tie-rod 24. Each detent lever 2 5 is thus mounted for rotation on the tie-rod 24 and retained in proper lateral position thereon by the enlarged central portion of the associated collar 2|8. The main body portion of each of the detent levers 2|5 is provided with a loop portion 2|9 stuck rearwardly therefrom for anchoring engagement with the forward end of a spring 22 I, the rear end of which engages the transverse shaft 83 (Fig. 7). The springs 22| thus hold the detent levers 2|5 on the spacer collars 2 I8 and against the forward portion of the control shaft 2| At its upper end, each of the detent levers 2|5 is provided with a rearwardly extending finger 222 adapted to cooperate with the associated carry winding gear 32 of the accumulator. The control shaft 2 is provided with a flat surface 223 (Figs. 3, 4, and 7) extending across those denominational orders in which detent levers 2|5 are mounted. When the control shaft 2|| has been rotated to its operative position of Fig. 9 by depression of control key 20I from its inoperative position of Fig. 5, this flat portion 223 of the shaft is in the plane of the main body portions of the detent levers 2|5, so that the springs 22| hold the detent levers in their rearmost operative positions of Figs. 7, 9, and 10. When so disposed, the rear ends of the finger 222 of the detent levers will engage between the teeth of the associated carry winding gears 32 when the latter are moved forwardly in a zeroizing operation by the forward swinging of the accumulator frame plates 64 in response to operation of the zeroizing lever 1|. As seen in Figs. 7 and 9, however, the fingers 222 clear the gears 32 when the accumulator is in its normal position wherein the gears 32 are in mesh with the gears 3|. Rotation of the control shaft 2| to its operative position of Fig. 5 by the spring 203, upon release of the control key 20| from its operative position of Fig. 9 as hereinbefore described, results in all of the detent levers 2 5 being cammed forwardly against the action of the springs 22 the fiat portion 223 of the shaft 2| i being removed from alignment with the main body portions of the detent levers 2 5 and the latter being swung about the tie-rod 24 by that portion of the shaft 2| directly below the fiat 223.

Means are provided for indicating to the machine operator which. denominational orders of the accumulator will not be cleared by operation of the zeroizing lever 'i'| when the control key 20| is in its operative position. This means is necessary because only the control key 2M of the above-described mechanism is visible to the operator when the machine casing is in place. The means herein illustrated for accomplishing this indicating function comprises a bar indicated generally by reference numeral 224 and shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. This indicating bar 224 is adapted to be mounted on the keyboard of the machine between any two adjacent col- "sins of digit keys 2", and for thi purpose is provided adjacent each end with laterally extending, notched shoulders 225 slidably engageable with the stems 2? of the end keys of each adjacent column. The forward shoulders 22% thus prevent forward movement of the indicating bar are, and the rear shoulders similarly prevent rearward shifting of the bar on the keyboard. In order to prevent unauthorized removal and change of location of the indicating bar 224 from its proper position, the rear end thereof is bent downwardly to be disposed beneath the central portion of the machine casing, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1. The bar 224 thus indicates the line of division within the accumulator occasioned by the provision of detent levers 215 in some of the denominational orders thereof.

From the above description, it will be seen that means are provided whereby the single accumulator of the machine, in effect, selectively may be converted into two accumulators. By depressing the zeroizing control key 26! and latching the same in its operative position of Fig. 9. the machine may be employed to obtain the total of a number of items in the lower or righthand half thereof. The operator may then transfer such total appearing in the numeral wheels 38 of the lower half of the accumulator to the upper or leftmost portion of the accumulator by depression of appropriate digit keys 25 to the left of the indicator bar 224. Operation of the zeroizing lever II will then effect clearing of the numeral wheels 3?, of the lower portion of the accumulator in the manner previously described. However, such zeroizing operation will not affect those numeral wheels 38 with which detent levers 215 are associated, since the forward movement of the winding gears 32 in those orders by the swinging frame of the accumulator will result in such gears 32 being restrained against return to zero position by the fingers 222 of the detent levers. Subsequent operation of any digit key 25 will return the swinging frame of the accumulator to its normal rearward position to re-engage the gears 32 with the numeral wheels and in those denominational orders containing the detent levers 215 the numeral wheels will retain the same position had prior to the operation of the zeroizing lever II. This sequence of operations may be repeated as often as desired, the total entered in the leftmost portion of the accumulator being retained therein during zeroizing of the remaining numeral wheels of the accumulator.

After a clearing operation of the lever H, the numeral wheels of the accumulator in those orders containing the detent levers 2l5 may be zeroized merely by release of the zeroizing control key 2271, since return of the control key 28! to its inoperative position of Fig. will result in disengagement of the fingers 222 from the gears 32 in the manner previously described to permit return of the numeral wheels in these orders to zero by their carry winding springs. Whenever the zeroizing control key Zfil is in its inoperative position of Fig. 5, actuation of the zeroizing lever '5'! will result in clearing of all the numeral wheels of the accumulator.

It will be understood that the instant mechanism lends itself for use with any desired numher or particular ones of the individual numeral wheel of an accumulator, and that the present illustrations thereof are not intended to limit its use to any particular denominational orders.

For example, the fiatted portion 223 of the control shaft 2! i may be extended completely across the accumulator. Then, in any denominational orders in which it is desired to prevent zeroizing of the numeral wheels, it is necessary only to mount a detent lever 2l5 and its retaining spring 22!. Thus the accumulator may be divided into more than two separate sections, each comprising some of the numeral wheels there of, and one or more of such sections being provided with the detent levers 255, while one or more of such sections do not have the detent levers 2l5 mounted therein. With such an arrangement, a plurality of indicator bars 224 are used to separate the keyboard into the corresponding number of sections. In all modifications of the present invention, the indicator bar or bars 224 visually apprise the machine operator as to which denominational orders will not be zeroized, when the zeroizing control. key 2EH is in its effective position, upon actuation of the zeroizing lever H.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the forms hereinbefore described being merely preferred embodiments thereof.

I claim:

1. In a calculating machine having a multidenominational order accumulator with a numeral Wheel, a carrying gear and a carry winding spring in each order, an actuator for said accumulator including an actuating gear normally en aged with each said carrying gear, and zeroizing means selectively operable to detrain said carrying and actuating gears to permit said carrying winding springs to return all of said numeral wheels to zero position to clear said accumulator; a selectively operable control member, and normally inoperative detent mechanism mounted in certain of the orders of said accumulator and movable into operative position in response to operation or" said control member to cooperate with said carrying gears in said certain orders to prevent return of their associated numeral wheels to zero position by their associated carry winding springs upon operation of said zeroizing means.

2. In a calculating machine having a multidenominational order accumulator with a numeral Wheel, a carrying gear and a carry winding spring in each order, an actuator for said accumulator including an actuating gear normally engaged with each said carrying gear, and zeroizing means selectively operable to detrain said carrying and actuating gears to permit said carry winding springs to return all of said numeral wheels to Zero position to clear said accumulator; a selectively operable control member, and normally inoperative detent members mounted in certain of the orders of said accumulator and movable into operative position in response to operation of said control member for engagement by said carrying gears in said certain orders, upon detraining of said carrying and actuating gears in response to operation of said zeroizing means, to prevent clearing of the numeral wheels in said certain denominational orders of the accumulator.

3. In a calculating machine having a multidenominational order accumulator with a numeral wheel, a carrying gear and a carry: winding spring in each. order, an, actuator for said accumulator including an actuating gear normally engaged with each said carrying gear, a plurality of ordinal: columns of depressible digit keys for controlling operation of said actuator, zeroizing means selectively operable to detrain said carrying and actuating gearsv to permit said carry winding springs to. return all of said numeral wheelsto zero position to clear said accumulator,

and means for maintaining said carrying and actuating gears detrained following operation of said zeroizing means and operable, in response to subsequent depression of any of'said digit keys, to re-engage said carryin and actuating gears; a selectively operable control member, and normally ineffective mean mounted in a plurality of denominational orders of said accumulator and rendered effective by said control member to cooperate with the associate said carrying gears to prevent clearing of the numeral wheels in said plurality of orders, upon operation of said zeroizing means, and to retain the numeral wheels in said plurality of orders in the same positions occupied at the time of operation of said zeroizing means and until subsequent reengagement of said carrying and actuating gears in response to depression of a said digit key.

4. In a calculating machine having a multidenominational order accumulator with a numeral wheel, a carrying gear and a carry winding spring in each order, an actuator for said accumulator including an actuating ear normally engaged with each said carrying gear, a plurality of ordinal columns of depressible digit keys for controlling operation of said actuator, zeroizing means selectively operable to detrain said carrying and actuating gears to permit said carry winding springs to return all of said numeral wheels to zero position to clear said accumulator, and means for maintaining said carrying and actuating gears detrained following operation of said zeroizing means and operable, in response to subsequent depression of any of said digit keys, to re-engage said carrying and actuating gears; normally inoperative detents mounted in a plurality of orders of said accumulator and movable into operative position to cooperate with the associated said carrying gears to prevent clearing of the numeral wheels in said plurality of orders, upon operation of said zeroizing means, and control means selectively movable to one position to cause movement of said detents into operative position, and movable to another position, after operation of said zeroizing means and before subsequent depression of any of said digit keys, to cause movement of said detents into inoperative position to cause automatic clearing of the numeral wheels of said plurality of orders by their associated carry winding springs.

5. In a calculating machine having a multidenominational order accumulator with a numeral wheel, a carrying gear and a carry winding spring in each order, an actuator for said accumulator including an actuating gear normally engaged with each said carrying gear, and zeroizing means selectively operable to detrain said carrying and actuating gears to permit said carry winding springs to return all of said numeral wheels to Zero position to clear said accumulator; means for dividing said accumulator into a plurality of accumulators by preventing clearing of the numeral wheels of selected denominational orders thereof, upon operation of said zeroizing means, comprising a trans-ordinal shaft rotat- Cir a ly mounted adjacent said accumulator and having a flat portion thereon, a detentleverpiw otally mounted for engagement with said shaft in each of said selected orders of said accumulator and having a finger which, when in operative position, is engageable with a said carrying gear during detraining thereof by said zeroizin means, springmeans for maintaining said detent levers in engagement with said shaft, and control means selectively operable to rotate said shaft to a first position for moving said detent levers to inoperative position to maintain said fingers out of engagement with said carrying gears, and to a second position to align said. fiat portion thereon with said detent levers to enable said spring means to move said fingers into operative position.

6. In a calculating machine having a multidenominational order accumulator with a numeral wheel, a numeral wheel driving gear train including a carrying gear, and a carry winding spring in each order; an actuator for said aooumulator including an actuating gear normally engaged with said carryin gear to drive said gear train; and zeroizing means selectively operable to detrain said carrying and actuating gears to permit said carry winding springs to return all of said numeral wheels to zero position to clear said accumulator; a selectively operable control member, and normally inoperative detent mechanism mounted in certain of the orders of said accumulator and movable into operative position in response to operation of said control member to cooperate with said gear trains in said certain orders to prevent return of their associated numeral wheels to zero position by their associated carry winding springs upon operation of said zeroizing means.

7. In a calculating machine having a multidenominational order accumulator with a numeral wheel, a numeral wheel driving gear train including a carrying gear, and a carry winding spring in each order; an actuator for said accumulator including an actuating gear normally engaged with each said carrying gear to drive said igear train; a plurality of ordinal columns of depressible digit keys for controlling operation of said actuator; zeroizing means selectively operable to detrain said carrying and actuating gears to permit said carry winding springs to return all of said numeral wheels to zero position to clear said accumulator; and means for maintaining said carrying and actuating gears detrained following operation of said zeroizing means and operable, in response to subsequent depression of any of said digit keys, to re-engage said carrying and actuating gears; a selectively operable control member, and normally inoperative detent members mounted in certain of the orders of said accumulator and movable into operative position in response to operation of said control member and subsequent operation of said zeroizing means for engagement with said gear trains in said certain orders to retain the numeral wheels in said certain orders in the same relative positions occupied at the time of operation of said zeroizing means and until subsequent re-engagement of said carrying and actuating gears in response to depression of a said digit key.

8. In a calculating machine having a multidenominational order accumulator with a numeral wheel, a numeral wheel driving gear train including a carrying gear, and a carry winding spring in each order; an actuator for said accumulator including an actuating member for driving each said gear train to cause the carrying gear therein to wind up its associated carry winding spring; and zeroizing means selectively operable to permit said carry Winding springs to unwind to return all of said numeral wheels to zero position to clear said accumulator; a selectively operable control member, and normally inoperative detent mechanism mounted in certain of the orders of said accumulator and movable into operative position in response to operation of said control member to cooperate with said gear trains in said certain orders to prevent return of their associated numeral wheels to zero position by their associated carry winding springs upon operation of said zeroizing means.

FREDERICK A. NIEMANN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Vincent Dec. 29, 1908 Kilpatrick Feb. 6, 1912 Barrett Feb. 9, 1915 Turck Nov. 2, 1920 Horton May 9, 1922 Tingley Nov. 23, 1926 Kottmann May 16, 1933 Turck Nov. 10, 1936 Muller Oct. 12, 1937 Moody July 2, 1946 Lambert June 10, 1947 

